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Viagra may treat deadly disease in children

Everyone’s favorite little blue pill may offer more than just a boost in the bedroom. New research suggests the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra could help treat a devastating neurological disorder that primarily strikes…

Scientists revive activity in frozen mouse brains for the first time

A ‘cryosleep pod’ in the 1979 science-fiction film Alien.Credit: 20TH CENTURY FOX via AJ Pics/AlamyA familiar trope in science fiction is the cryopreserved time traveller, their body deep-frozen in suspended animation, then thawed and…

Disturbing study finds microplastic accumulation in human brains, primarily in dementia

Tiny fragments of plastic, known as microplastics, have been detected in everything from air to water and food. Now, a study of 52 donated human brains has confirmed that these microplastics can pass the blood-brain barrier and…

Shrews Can Shrink Their Brains by 30%. Here's How They Grow It Back.

In preparation for winter, the common shrew (Sorex araneus) shrinks its brain by 30 percent to conserve precious energy. Then, come spring, the shrew miraculously 'regrows' its shrivelled brain, neurons fully intact.Scientists have…

A Brain Mechanism Explains Why People Leave Certain Tasks for Later

How does procrastination arise? The reason you decide to postpone household chores and spend your time browsing social media could be explained by the workings of a brain circuit. Recent research has identified a neural connection…

Jellyfish sleep like humans — even though they don’t have brains

The upside-down jellyfish Cassiopea andromeda sleeps for roughly 8 hours a day.Credit: Shahar Shabtai/AlamyNeither jellyfish nor sea anemones have brains. But these animals sleep in ways strikingly similar to humans, according to a…

This in-season 35-calorie fruit can boost your immunity, improve your skin — and help

Want to stay healthy this cold and flu season — and look good doing it? There’s a budget-friendly fruit in season right now that’s bursting with nutrients, low in calories and might just be the secret weapon your immune…

Our Brains Can Still Outsmart AI Using One Clever Trick

Despite the rapid advances in artificial intelligence in recent years, the humble human brain still has the edge over computers in its ability to transfer skills and learn across tasks. A new study reveals how we likely do this.Led…

These States Have the Highest Rates of Epilepsy, and Scientists Think They Know Why

Epilepsy isn’t something we usually associate with specific geographic regions, but new research suggests that’s an oversight—at least in the United States. New research finds that certain parts of the U.S. have much…